Once again, thank you for the reviews. I'm glad you guys are enjoying it and it only makes me more motivated to write more. I may just write some more and post it later Sunday, but it would probably be a one shot. I'm crossing my fingers because I've got two essays to write so it all depends on how that goes first.
I Disclaim.
It had been a week since that night she had so gracefully blurted out to Randy that she was pregnant. Trish had to admit that she was feeling a bit more relieved that she got that over with but by careful deductive reasoning, the butterflies in her stomach told her that she was more scared of breaking the news to her parents than she was when having to tell Randy. Randy had offered to go with her, for moral support if anything else. Trish had told him she would get back to him. She still wasn't sure if it was a good idea to have Randy in arms reach of her father when he found out that he had knocked up his daughter out of wedlock. She didn't even want to think about what her parents, namely her father, would do when they found out that Randy and Trish had no plans to marry, despite Trish's condition. Randy had implied that they should but Trish immediately shot down the idea. She wasn't going to marry Randy because he felt obliged, even though a part of her really did want him to propose to her. And a part of her really did want to say yes, but with the way things had gone with herself and Randy, she still had her doubts about him and his feelings for her. She desperately wanted to believe that he really did love her but then her subconscious would taunt, flashing images of him and Gail kissing passionately in his hotel room, or his angry words when he had thought she had slept with John. Things were far from perfect between the two of them, but Trish wasn't ready to deal with those issues just yet. One thing at a time…one thing at a time.
"I'm coming…." Trish hollered as she quickly tied the belt on her dark red, mid-length silk robe and ran down the stairs of her two story house in her native home of Toronto. She was given the rest of the week off and that meant no house shows. She had a long exchange of words between herself, Amy and Matt, trying to convince them that she was a big girl and could handle being alone for a week. It was just a week and she was left with strict instructions by Amy, that after next week Monday's Raw, she would be heading back to North Carolina.
The incessant ringing of the doorbell was beginning to annoy her, 'didn't she just say she was coming?' she thought. She had no clue who could be at her door. She had yet to call her family and tell them she was home for the week and with the way her nerves were acting, she was serious contemplating leaving the news for her next visit back home.
Trish finally reached her front door and swung the door open, ready with a smile on her face. She didn't want to take out her bad mood caused by out of whacked hormones on whoever was on the other side. It wasn't like it was their fault she was pregnant and hormonal. When her eyes finally met her visitor, she was a bit flustered. Okay…so maybe it was their fault.
"Randy…what are you doing here?" she asked confused. Randy took a moment to take in her beauty. Not to be mistaken, the woman was always breathtakingly beautiful, no doubt, but as she stood there, hair wet and hanging loose, and that sexy robe on, he was left speechless. He was sure, seeing her before him, that it was true what they said about pregnant women and that natural glow they have. She looked a bit different, yet still beautiful. He popped out of his reverie to answer her lingering question.
"Well, I came to take care of the mother of my child…I remember you telling me that you had a check up with your doctor and you would be getting a sonogram done. I wanted to make sure your pregnancy was going well and I definitely didn't wanna miss seeing my kid for the first time…" he had a big smile plastered on his face and Trish wondered if it all was a big façade. Was he just trying to be a man about the situation or was he truly happy that he was going to be a father?
"I even bought you some stuff…I talked to Amy and she told me all the things you craved, so I went to the grocery store and picked them up for you…" he rambled on.
"Randy, you didn't have to go to all this trouble" she said quietly with a sad smile. Randy stopped and made his way through the house, Trish following close behind. He went to the kitchen and set the bags down on the counter before turning to face Trish.
"I know what you're thinking…you think I'm trying to be responsible, trying to show you that I can be a man and that I'm grown up…yes I'm taking responsibility for this child Trish…but not as an obligation. You and this baby will never be my obligation that keeps me here, I'm here because I want to be, and whatever problems we have Trish, whether you forgive me or not, we will always be connected through our child. You can deny my love for you all you want, but I know you can never deny that little baby inside of you, the same way I can't either….". His voice was serious but sincere. She could tell he meant every word he said and she suddenly felt a bit guilty for making her thoughts so obvious. He was right. She could deny the fact that he loved her, because she was scared to open herself up to be hurt by him again, but she could never deny what he had given her.
"Aren't you scared Randy?….I mean, you're so young…I've always wanted children and I mean, I'm not getting any younger, this child was unexpected, but mentally, I've been prepared for a long time. You….this is all new to you and how impressive is it for the women when you tell them you have a little kid at home…" Trish tried to continue but Randy's finger to her lips stopped her words.
"The only woman I want to be with is you Patricia, and if it takes me till the day I die to prove that to you, so be it…and for the record, I am scared. But I'm not scared of missing out on my days of partying and drinking and late nights, I'm scared of failing. I mean…you only have one dad, I just don't wanna mess that up…I've seriously thought about it, and I can honestly say, that had it been someone else, I don't know if I would be so excited and happy about this child…I know I have a lot to prove and I'm not asking you to go easy on me, I'm just asking for that chance….just one more".
Trish was speechless as she looked straight into the depths of his baby blues. It was becoming quite the habit when it came to Randy. He always did or said something to her that would leave her without words, and though that wasn't always a good thing, it was a feeling she was having too often in his presence. The moment was becoming increasingly intense and it wasn't at all comfortable for Trish. She felt his stare could see right through her and she wasn't up for being vulnerable to him. Maybe she was being stubborn about the situation, in fact she knew she was, but she just blamed it on the hormones. She knew she would have to deal with this some time or the other, but now was definitely not the time.
"Uh…if you wanna go to that appointment with me, we gotta get moving, it's in 45 minutes and it takes a half hour to get there?" she said changing the subject. Randy was disappointed that she hadn't decided to sort the problem out since it was out in the open, but he understood nonetheless.
"Why is your doctor so far away?" he asked.
"Oh…he's got two practices and it just so happens that he's working all day at the farther location and I didn't want him to go to all the trouble of migrating back this way just for one appointment so I offered to go there".
Randy just nodded before taking the steps two at a time, in a hurry to take a quick shower. He put his bags in the guest bedroom and pulled out a towel and his change of clothes before entering the guest bathroom. Just as he was about to get in, he heard a knock at the door and without answering, thinking something may be wrong with Trish, he quickly wrapped the towel slackly around his waist and yanked the door open.
Trish's eyes grew wide at the sight before her. If there was anything she would willingly admit, it was being underneath him and just feeling him and exploring him. She missed the touch and taste of him and seeing him now was certainly not helping any.
"Ummm….I just wanted to let you know that the water pressure isn't working properly in this bathroom so you could use my bathroom if you like…."she was completely distracted as she spoke and it was obvious to Randy. He couldn't help the smirk that came to his face. "Thanks T, I think I'll use your bathroom then, but I gotta hurry cuz we gotta leave soon…" Randy trailed off as he noticed Trish staring at his chest, her eyes slowly moving down. He smiled to himself, she was uncomfortable but he found it quite adorable that after everything they had shared together, the sight of him nearly naked still made her blush. He cleared his throat and her head shot up.
"Right, I'll just go and let you have your shower….okay then….I'm going now….I'm gone…". He didn't miss the rosy blush that rose to her cheeks before she turned and hurried out. As he watched her retreating back,
"It's a start…" he said with optimism.
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Randy stood on the front porch waiting for Trish to ring the doorbell. Her doctor's appointment went well and the doctor said everything was in order. He looked down at her and saw her nervously biting her bottom lip. She looked cute and he couldn't help but enjoy the sight despite her terror. He effortlessly grabbed her small hand and slipped it in his much larger one. She looked up at him and he gave her a reassuring smile, letting her know that this was the right thing to do, no matter what physical harm he was putting himself in. With a big breath, she rang the doorbell and stepped back. They waited for a few moments and Trish was becoming optimistic that no one was home but to her disappointment, the door flung open and she was engulfed in a huge hug by her younger sister Christine as she squealed in delight of seeing her younger sister of eleven months. After releasing Trish, she turned to Randy and gave him a smile before leaning forward and giving him a hug as well. Randy made a mental note to stay on her good side because she may very well come in handy when they faced Trish's parents.
"When did you get back?" Christine asked as she ushered the two in.
"I came in last night and Randy came in this morning….what are you doing at mom's anyway?" Trish asked, trying to change the subject since she preferred to announce the news only once before grabbing Randy and fleeing the house.
"Oh, mom was babysitting the kids for me, I just came by to pick them up and mom insisted on staying for dinner so I called Josh and told him to come here instead of home…" she grew quite before tilting her head to the side to observe her sister.
"You look different…." she said.
"What do you mean?" Trish asked defensively.
"Nothing…" her sister replied, holding up her hands in defense, "I'm just saying…you still look beautiful, but there's something radiant about you today….". Randy held his breath, thinking their secret was going to come out there on the spot. Her sister nailed it on the head. He knew exactly what she meant but he didn't dare comment in fear of giving too much away.
"Forget it…let's go say hi to mom and dad and eat, I'm starving" Christine said.
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After greeting her parents, nephews, brother in law and her youngest sister, her and Randy took a place at the table. Once again, his hand found hers under the table. He gently stroked her hand with his thumb and Trish realized that his presence did help. Not enough, but it was certainly better than doing this by herself.
"Uh….mom….dad….everyone….there's something that Randy and I wanted to tell you…."Trish began, the nervousness completely evident in her voice. Everyone placed their forks down and gave Trish their wrapped attention.
"Oh my God….you guys are getting married…" her mother exclaimed happily. At this moment, Randy could physically feel Trish's hand tighten around his and he had to admit, she was definitely a strong woman, sometimes he didn't think she knew just how strong she was.
"Actually…that wasn't our news…" Trish stammered out. Her mother's face fell in disappointment. She couldn't wait for her little girl to get married, and was secretly hoping that it was Randy that would be the man at the alter. She had taken an instant liking to the young man and she hoped that her daughter was sensible enough to realize the good thing that she had. Without responding, she looked at her daughter expectantly, waiting for her to continue.
"I'm pregnant…"Trish said with a nervous smile. The fall of her father's fork out of his hand was distinctly heard in the room that had gone so quite, she was sure you could hear a pin drop.
"with Randy's baby…" she added, just in case they had any doubts, and for the fact that she hated the silence and didn't know what else to say.
"Sweetie, that's definitely some big news….so when's the big day then?" her father asked.
"Well, I'm a month along already so we're looking at a late April, early May baby" she answered. Randy had been particularly quiet and it wasn't until her father spoke that his head shot up from his plate and met the stare of her father.
"Actually, I was referring to the wedding day…."
"Uh….well…Trish and I had talked about that, kinda…and…uh…." Randy stammered along and if the situation wasn't so serious, Trish would have laughed at finally seeing him obviously flustered for a change.
"Dad…" Trish intervened.
"Trish…stay out of this, I'm asking Randy what he plans on doing about this…it's one thing to be pregnant out of wedlock, but how are you two planning on raising this baby? You are going to be a part of this child's life aren't you?" her father redirected the question to Randy.
"Yes sir, I plan on being there every step of the way for your daughter and grandchild…" Randy replied without hesitation.
"Do you plan on marrying my daughter in the very near future….?" her father questioned, this time, a bit more forcefully.
"Dad…stop it, I'm not going to be anyone's obligation and that's certainly not reason enough for me to get married and be in a loveless marriage because of obligation…."she said in defense.
"What do you mean loveless? For God's sakes, you obviously slept with the man, how loveless would the marriage be?…." now her father was practically yelling in frustration.
"Yeah…how loveless would it be Trish?" Randy asked quietly, evidently hurt by her words.
"That's not what I meant, it just came out the wrong way…."she whispered back as her father continued on with his shouting.
"I can't believe you aren't even considering marriage…what are you afraid of, huh?" he asked Trish. Trish sat there in silence as her father went on, and she watched as her mother tried to interject as calmly as possible but to no avail.
"And YOU!…" he spoke to Randy. "How could you be so careless, I really thought that you loved my daughter, first you knock her up and now you don't even wanna get married to her…what? Is she like damaged goods now or something?…."
"Sir, that's not it at all, I really do love your daughter…." Randy tried to explain. Trish's mother and sisters sent the young man a sympathetic look. They knew he had dug a quite a hole for himself and it was only for the fact that Trish's father loved his daughters more than anything and he looked at them as his honour. He was an old fashioned man and right now, he saw Randy's uncooperative behaviour in marrying his daughter, as a spit in the face. If only he knew the real reason they weren't getting married….
"If you love my daughter, then why won't you marry her!" he screamed this time. The heavy breaths expelled was a sign of his anger and everyone at the table was ready to intervene. The expression on the older man's face told Randy that he wasn't yet finished with his rant and that he should wait before answering.
"So tell me son…answer my question…why won't you marry her?"
"Because we're already married!" Trish yelled back. At that very moment, she could have slapped herself. She quickly threw her hands up to cover her face as she took a moment to realize what she just did. She hadn't meant to do it, but she couldn't stand the way her father was talking to Randy. If her father was looking to blame anyone, then she should be getting as much of the yelling as Randy was. He just looked so defenseless and it was obvious he was trying real hard not to say anything that could be taken out of context and seem insulting to her father. As Trish contemplated her words, Randy's head had whipped around to face his so-called wife. He almost choked on his spit at her words and as much as he would have liked that little tidbit to be true, it wasn't, and that just complicated things further.
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The drive was awfully silent on the way back to the house. After Trish's outburst and after the family got over the initial shock, even more shocking than the baby news, everyone was elated. Not to say they weren't disappointed in missing the "wedding" but they were happy that Randy and Trish were "happy " and Randy was certainly glad for his own health reasons that her father took a 180 and welcomed him to the family. The family even promised that if Randy and Trish didn't mind, after the baby was born, they would have a little wedding so that both of their close loved ones could attend and celebrate in their love. They had already reached the house and changed into their night pyjamas and either had yet to mention the surprise topic of conversation at her parents house. Randy sat on the guest bed for a while contemplating what he should do and he decided to try his luck. He went to her room door which was open and knocked lightly.
"Trish…." he said quietly.
"Hmmmmm…" she responded. It was evident from her voice that she was tired and Randy gave her a sympathetic glance as he entered the room and laid down next to her on her bed. Before he could bring up the subject, Trish summarized it for him.
"Look, before you say anything…I'm sorry, this is all my fault and I promise I will find a way to fix this…Please don't hate me and if you have just an ounce of love, you'll let it go for tonight. We've had a long day, and I'm too tired to think about the whole thing because it's gonna make my head hurt…"
He stroked her hair gently and took strands and curled it around his finger as she spoke. Laying there, he couldn't help but wish that they really were married and to any stranger passing by, they could very well pass for a married couple.
"Hey, hey….I don't hate you, I should actually thank you, I don't care what you say….I know you said that to save my ass from your enraged father…Look, we'll talk about it tomorrow, you need a good night's sleep because stress isn't good for you or the baby so no more worrying, okay?"
Trish lifted herself up before repositioning herself so that her head was laying on his chest. Listening to his heart beat. She look up at him, "Thank you.." she whispered.
"For what?" he looked down confused as one muscular arm made it's way around her waist while the other hand continued to stroke her hair.
"Just for being so great about all of this…I know I give you a hard time and I probably will even after tonight, but just know that I really do appreciate it and I really do think you're a great guy and I couldn't ask for a better father for my child…or husband" she added with a giggle. Randy playfully rolled his eyes before pulling her close and giving her a sweet kiss on the forehead.
"Go to sleep…" he murmured as they fell into silence. They just laid there until Trish felt her eyelids begin to feel heavy. He could feel her light breathing and knew she was almost completely knocked out for the night.
He looked down at her, "I love you" he said giving her another kiss.
"I love you too" she whispered back sleepily. Randy smiled to himself. He knew it…but more importantly he felt it. This was what it was supposed to be like and if he had to move Heaven and Earth, God help him, because he wouldn't have it any other way.
I Disclaim.
It had been a week since that night she had so gracefully blurted out to Randy that she was pregnant. Trish had to admit that she was feeling a bit more relieved that she got that over with but by careful deductive reasoning, the butterflies in her stomach told her that she was more scared of breaking the news to her parents than she was when having to tell Randy. Randy had offered to go with her, for moral support if anything else. Trish had told him she would get back to him. She still wasn't sure if it was a good idea to have Randy in arms reach of her father when he found out that he had knocked up his daughter out of wedlock. She didn't even want to think about what her parents, namely her father, would do when they found out that Randy and Trish had no plans to marry, despite Trish's condition. Randy had implied that they should but Trish immediately shot down the idea. She wasn't going to marry Randy because he felt obliged, even though a part of her really did want him to propose to her. And a part of her really did want to say yes, but with the way things had gone with herself and Randy, she still had her doubts about him and his feelings for her. She desperately wanted to believe that he really did love her but then her subconscious would taunt, flashing images of him and Gail kissing passionately in his hotel room, or his angry words when he had thought she had slept with John. Things were far from perfect between the two of them, but Trish wasn't ready to deal with those issues just yet. One thing at a time…one thing at a time.
"I'm coming…." Trish hollered as she quickly tied the belt on her dark red, mid-length silk robe and ran down the stairs of her two story house in her native home of Toronto. She was given the rest of the week off and that meant no house shows. She had a long exchange of words between herself, Amy and Matt, trying to convince them that she was a big girl and could handle being alone for a week. It was just a week and she was left with strict instructions by Amy, that after next week Monday's Raw, she would be heading back to North Carolina.
The incessant ringing of the doorbell was beginning to annoy her, 'didn't she just say she was coming?' she thought. She had no clue who could be at her door. She had yet to call her family and tell them she was home for the week and with the way her nerves were acting, she was serious contemplating leaving the news for her next visit back home.
Trish finally reached her front door and swung the door open, ready with a smile on her face. She didn't want to take out her bad mood caused by out of whacked hormones on whoever was on the other side. It wasn't like it was their fault she was pregnant and hormonal. When her eyes finally met her visitor, she was a bit flustered. Okay…so maybe it was their fault.
"Randy…what are you doing here?" she asked confused. Randy took a moment to take in her beauty. Not to be mistaken, the woman was always breathtakingly beautiful, no doubt, but as she stood there, hair wet and hanging loose, and that sexy robe on, he was left speechless. He was sure, seeing her before him, that it was true what they said about pregnant women and that natural glow they have. She looked a bit different, yet still beautiful. He popped out of his reverie to answer her lingering question.
"Well, I came to take care of the mother of my child…I remember you telling me that you had a check up with your doctor and you would be getting a sonogram done. I wanted to make sure your pregnancy was going well and I definitely didn't wanna miss seeing my kid for the first time…" he had a big smile plastered on his face and Trish wondered if it all was a big façade. Was he just trying to be a man about the situation or was he truly happy that he was going to be a father?
"I even bought you some stuff…I talked to Amy and she told me all the things you craved, so I went to the grocery store and picked them up for you…" he rambled on.
"Randy, you didn't have to go to all this trouble" she said quietly with a sad smile. Randy stopped and made his way through the house, Trish following close behind. He went to the kitchen and set the bags down on the counter before turning to face Trish.
"I know what you're thinking…you think I'm trying to be responsible, trying to show you that I can be a man and that I'm grown up…yes I'm taking responsibility for this child Trish…but not as an obligation. You and this baby will never be my obligation that keeps me here, I'm here because I want to be, and whatever problems we have Trish, whether you forgive me or not, we will always be connected through our child. You can deny my love for you all you want, but I know you can never deny that little baby inside of you, the same way I can't either….". His voice was serious but sincere. She could tell he meant every word he said and she suddenly felt a bit guilty for making her thoughts so obvious. He was right. She could deny the fact that he loved her, because she was scared to open herself up to be hurt by him again, but she could never deny what he had given her.
"Aren't you scared Randy?….I mean, you're so young…I've always wanted children and I mean, I'm not getting any younger, this child was unexpected, but mentally, I've been prepared for a long time. You….this is all new to you and how impressive is it for the women when you tell them you have a little kid at home…" Trish tried to continue but Randy's finger to her lips stopped her words.
"The only woman I want to be with is you Patricia, and if it takes me till the day I die to prove that to you, so be it…and for the record, I am scared. But I'm not scared of missing out on my days of partying and drinking and late nights, I'm scared of failing. I mean…you only have one dad, I just don't wanna mess that up…I've seriously thought about it, and I can honestly say, that had it been someone else, I don't know if I would be so excited and happy about this child…I know I have a lot to prove and I'm not asking you to go easy on me, I'm just asking for that chance….just one more".
Trish was speechless as she looked straight into the depths of his baby blues. It was becoming quite the habit when it came to Randy. He always did or said something to her that would leave her without words, and though that wasn't always a good thing, it was a feeling she was having too often in his presence. The moment was becoming increasingly intense and it wasn't at all comfortable for Trish. She felt his stare could see right through her and she wasn't up for being vulnerable to him. Maybe she was being stubborn about the situation, in fact she knew she was, but she just blamed it on the hormones. She knew she would have to deal with this some time or the other, but now was definitely not the time.
"Uh…if you wanna go to that appointment with me, we gotta get moving, it's in 45 minutes and it takes a half hour to get there?" she said changing the subject. Randy was disappointed that she hadn't decided to sort the problem out since it was out in the open, but he understood nonetheless.
"Why is your doctor so far away?" he asked.
"Oh…he's got two practices and it just so happens that he's working all day at the farther location and I didn't want him to go to all the trouble of migrating back this way just for one appointment so I offered to go there".
Randy just nodded before taking the steps two at a time, in a hurry to take a quick shower. He put his bags in the guest bedroom and pulled out a towel and his change of clothes before entering the guest bathroom. Just as he was about to get in, he heard a knock at the door and without answering, thinking something may be wrong with Trish, he quickly wrapped the towel slackly around his waist and yanked the door open.
Trish's eyes grew wide at the sight before her. If there was anything she would willingly admit, it was being underneath him and just feeling him and exploring him. She missed the touch and taste of him and seeing him now was certainly not helping any.
"Ummm….I just wanted to let you know that the water pressure isn't working properly in this bathroom so you could use my bathroom if you like…."she was completely distracted as she spoke and it was obvious to Randy. He couldn't help the smirk that came to his face. "Thanks T, I think I'll use your bathroom then, but I gotta hurry cuz we gotta leave soon…" Randy trailed off as he noticed Trish staring at his chest, her eyes slowly moving down. He smiled to himself, she was uncomfortable but he found it quite adorable that after everything they had shared together, the sight of him nearly naked still made her blush. He cleared his throat and her head shot up.
"Right, I'll just go and let you have your shower….okay then….I'm going now….I'm gone…". He didn't miss the rosy blush that rose to her cheeks before she turned and hurried out. As he watched her retreating back,
"It's a start…" he said with optimism.
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Randy stood on the front porch waiting for Trish to ring the doorbell. Her doctor's appointment went well and the doctor said everything was in order. He looked down at her and saw her nervously biting her bottom lip. She looked cute and he couldn't help but enjoy the sight despite her terror. He effortlessly grabbed her small hand and slipped it in his much larger one. She looked up at him and he gave her a reassuring smile, letting her know that this was the right thing to do, no matter what physical harm he was putting himself in. With a big breath, she rang the doorbell and stepped back. They waited for a few moments and Trish was becoming optimistic that no one was home but to her disappointment, the door flung open and she was engulfed in a huge hug by her younger sister Christine as she squealed in delight of seeing her younger sister of eleven months. After releasing Trish, she turned to Randy and gave him a smile before leaning forward and giving him a hug as well. Randy made a mental note to stay on her good side because she may very well come in handy when they faced Trish's parents.
"When did you get back?" Christine asked as she ushered the two in.
"I came in last night and Randy came in this morning….what are you doing at mom's anyway?" Trish asked, trying to change the subject since she preferred to announce the news only once before grabbing Randy and fleeing the house.
"Oh, mom was babysitting the kids for me, I just came by to pick them up and mom insisted on staying for dinner so I called Josh and told him to come here instead of home…" she grew quite before tilting her head to the side to observe her sister.
"You look different…." she said.
"What do you mean?" Trish asked defensively.
"Nothing…" her sister replied, holding up her hands in defense, "I'm just saying…you still look beautiful, but there's something radiant about you today….". Randy held his breath, thinking their secret was going to come out there on the spot. Her sister nailed it on the head. He knew exactly what she meant but he didn't dare comment in fear of giving too much away.
"Forget it…let's go say hi to mom and dad and eat, I'm starving" Christine said.
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After greeting her parents, nephews, brother in law and her youngest sister, her and Randy took a place at the table. Once again, his hand found hers under the table. He gently stroked her hand with his thumb and Trish realized that his presence did help. Not enough, but it was certainly better than doing this by herself.
"Uh….mom….dad….everyone….there's something that Randy and I wanted to tell you…."Trish began, the nervousness completely evident in her voice. Everyone placed their forks down and gave Trish their wrapped attention.
"Oh my God….you guys are getting married…" her mother exclaimed happily. At this moment, Randy could physically feel Trish's hand tighten around his and he had to admit, she was definitely a strong woman, sometimes he didn't think she knew just how strong she was.
"Actually…that wasn't our news…" Trish stammered out. Her mother's face fell in disappointment. She couldn't wait for her little girl to get married, and was secretly hoping that it was Randy that would be the man at the alter. She had taken an instant liking to the young man and she hoped that her daughter was sensible enough to realize the good thing that she had. Without responding, she looked at her daughter expectantly, waiting for her to continue.
"I'm pregnant…"Trish said with a nervous smile. The fall of her father's fork out of his hand was distinctly heard in the room that had gone so quite, she was sure you could hear a pin drop.
"with Randy's baby…" she added, just in case they had any doubts, and for the fact that she hated the silence and didn't know what else to say.
"Sweetie, that's definitely some big news….so when's the big day then?" her father asked.
"Well, I'm a month along already so we're looking at a late April, early May baby" she answered. Randy had been particularly quiet and it wasn't until her father spoke that his head shot up from his plate and met the stare of her father.
"Actually, I was referring to the wedding day…."
"Uh….well…Trish and I had talked about that, kinda…and…uh…." Randy stammered along and if the situation wasn't so serious, Trish would have laughed at finally seeing him obviously flustered for a change.
"Dad…" Trish intervened.
"Trish…stay out of this, I'm asking Randy what he plans on doing about this…it's one thing to be pregnant out of wedlock, but how are you two planning on raising this baby? You are going to be a part of this child's life aren't you?" her father redirected the question to Randy.
"Yes sir, I plan on being there every step of the way for your daughter and grandchild…" Randy replied without hesitation.
"Do you plan on marrying my daughter in the very near future….?" her father questioned, this time, a bit more forcefully.
"Dad…stop it, I'm not going to be anyone's obligation and that's certainly not reason enough for me to get married and be in a loveless marriage because of obligation…."she said in defense.
"What do you mean loveless? For God's sakes, you obviously slept with the man, how loveless would the marriage be?…." now her father was practically yelling in frustration.
"Yeah…how loveless would it be Trish?" Randy asked quietly, evidently hurt by her words.
"That's not what I meant, it just came out the wrong way…."she whispered back as her father continued on with his shouting.
"I can't believe you aren't even considering marriage…what are you afraid of, huh?" he asked Trish. Trish sat there in silence as her father went on, and she watched as her mother tried to interject as calmly as possible but to no avail.
"And YOU!…" he spoke to Randy. "How could you be so careless, I really thought that you loved my daughter, first you knock her up and now you don't even wanna get married to her…what? Is she like damaged goods now or something?…."
"Sir, that's not it at all, I really do love your daughter…." Randy tried to explain. Trish's mother and sisters sent the young man a sympathetic look. They knew he had dug a quite a hole for himself and it was only for the fact that Trish's father loved his daughters more than anything and he looked at them as his honour. He was an old fashioned man and right now, he saw Randy's uncooperative behaviour in marrying his daughter, as a spit in the face. If only he knew the real reason they weren't getting married….
"If you love my daughter, then why won't you marry her!" he screamed this time. The heavy breaths expelled was a sign of his anger and everyone at the table was ready to intervene. The expression on the older man's face told Randy that he wasn't yet finished with his rant and that he should wait before answering.
"So tell me son…answer my question…why won't you marry her?"
"Because we're already married!" Trish yelled back. At that very moment, she could have slapped herself. She quickly threw her hands up to cover her face as she took a moment to realize what she just did. She hadn't meant to do it, but she couldn't stand the way her father was talking to Randy. If her father was looking to blame anyone, then she should be getting as much of the yelling as Randy was. He just looked so defenseless and it was obvious he was trying real hard not to say anything that could be taken out of context and seem insulting to her father. As Trish contemplated her words, Randy's head had whipped around to face his so-called wife. He almost choked on his spit at her words and as much as he would have liked that little tidbit to be true, it wasn't, and that just complicated things further.
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The drive was awfully silent on the way back to the house. After Trish's outburst and after the family got over the initial shock, even more shocking than the baby news, everyone was elated. Not to say they weren't disappointed in missing the "wedding" but they were happy that Randy and Trish were "happy " and Randy was certainly glad for his own health reasons that her father took a 180 and welcomed him to the family. The family even promised that if Randy and Trish didn't mind, after the baby was born, they would have a little wedding so that both of their close loved ones could attend and celebrate in their love. They had already reached the house and changed into their night pyjamas and either had yet to mention the surprise topic of conversation at her parents house. Randy sat on the guest bed for a while contemplating what he should do and he decided to try his luck. He went to her room door which was open and knocked lightly.
"Trish…." he said quietly.
"Hmmmmm…" she responded. It was evident from her voice that she was tired and Randy gave her a sympathetic glance as he entered the room and laid down next to her on her bed. Before he could bring up the subject, Trish summarized it for him.
"Look, before you say anything…I'm sorry, this is all my fault and I promise I will find a way to fix this…Please don't hate me and if you have just an ounce of love, you'll let it go for tonight. We've had a long day, and I'm too tired to think about the whole thing because it's gonna make my head hurt…"
He stroked her hair gently and took strands and curled it around his finger as she spoke. Laying there, he couldn't help but wish that they really were married and to any stranger passing by, they could very well pass for a married couple.
"Hey, hey….I don't hate you, I should actually thank you, I don't care what you say….I know you said that to save my ass from your enraged father…Look, we'll talk about it tomorrow, you need a good night's sleep because stress isn't good for you or the baby so no more worrying, okay?"
Trish lifted herself up before repositioning herself so that her head was laying on his chest. Listening to his heart beat. She look up at him, "Thank you.." she whispered.
"For what?" he looked down confused as one muscular arm made it's way around her waist while the other hand continued to stroke her hair.
"Just for being so great about all of this…I know I give you a hard time and I probably will even after tonight, but just know that I really do appreciate it and I really do think you're a great guy and I couldn't ask for a better father for my child…or husband" she added with a giggle. Randy playfully rolled his eyes before pulling her close and giving her a sweet kiss on the forehead.
"Go to sleep…" he murmured as they fell into silence. They just laid there until Trish felt her eyelids begin to feel heavy. He could feel her light breathing and knew she was almost completely knocked out for the night.
He looked down at her, "I love you" he said giving her another kiss.
"I love you too" she whispered back sleepily. Randy smiled to himself. He knew it…but more importantly he felt it. This was what it was supposed to be like and if he had to move Heaven and Earth, God help him, because he wouldn't have it any other way.